Pasta

Marco Polo DID NOT return to Italy with pasta from China. This legend is false. In fact, pasta was invented by Italians and has become symbolic of their dedication to perfection and pride in the kitchen.

History of Pasta

Ancient Rome was the birthplace of fresh pasta (pasta fresca),which was made by adding water to semolina-flour. This vital ingredient is made from durum wheat, a thriving crop in Italy’s temperate climate. Unlike the dried pasta found at your local grocery store today, fresh pasta was meant to be eaten immediately. The Arab invasions of Sicily in the 8th Century are thought to be the origins of dried pasta (pasta secca). At the time, Palermo was producing mass quantities of the new product. Some Arabian influence can still be found in select recipes, using ingredients such as raisins and cinnamon.

In the 1300’s, dried pasta became very popular for use on long nautical expeditions because of its shelf-life and nutrition. These voyages contributed to pasta’s worldwide appeal and led to advances in its form and technology. Back in Italy, pasta was slowly migrating north to Naples and reached its destination in the 17th Century. A few historical events boosted pasta to a national icon. It became a kitchen staple during the Risorgimento (Italian Unification) in the mid 1860’s. Italian political and military figure Giuseppe Garibaldi introduced the country to La Scienza in cucina e l’Arte I Mangiar bene, a cookbook written in 1891 by Pellegrino Artusi that featured pasta. Tomato sauce was introduced to Italy in the 19th Century but was met with skepticism. The tomato, being a member of the nightshade family, was considered inedible in many regions; fortunately, those rumors were put to rest shortly thereafter. The last major event to influence pasta’s early history was the Italian Diaspora, a mass migration of Italians from their country in the time between the Unification and World War I. These times of hardship led Italians to take even more pride in refining the art of cooking.

Types of Pasta

There are two major classifications: pasta fresca (fresh) and pasta secca (dried). From here, there are more than 400 unique types of pasta: sheets, strips, long strands, cylinders, unique shapes, flavors, and many other local varieties. There are more names for pasta than the mind can retain, yet all are made from the same basic ingredients — 100% durum wheat and water with a specific percentage of acidity and humidity under Italian law. Varying from the basics, light flavors and colors can be added to pasta with egg yolk, spinach, tomato paste, chocolate, and even squid ink. Each of these pastas creates its own unique dining experience when properly served. Another crucial aspect of the experience is pasta being married with an appropriate, complimentary sauce. The individual shape and texture given to pasta can be somewhat of a code in determining the proper sauce. A simple rule of thumb would be as follows: thick pasta = thick sauce, light pasta = light sauce.

Pasta fresca, the starting point of all pastas, is created with higher humidity, and some types only exist in this category. Variations can often be regional. Northern Italy is known to use all-purpose flour and eggs, while southern Italy uses the standard semolina and water mixture. Reputed to have the best pasta fresca in Italy, the Emilia-Romagna region often serves fresh pasta with cream sauces. Another regional variation could be found in Piedmont where butter and black truffles are a common ingredient. Other ingredients vary, from potatoes to ricotta.

Special tools are used when making dried pasta. First, the pasta is forced through holes in a die-plate and onto sheets for cutting. The next step is drying. Pasta secca is only considered real pasta if it is made in the proper Italian way, slow-drying it for upwards of fifty hours in a copper mold, and then in the open air. The rest of the world usually dries pasta in steel molds at extremely high temperatures for short periods of time, resulting in an inferior product. Italians take pride in their method and can be proud of a smoother tasting, quicker cooking pasta that can hold on to its sauce.

Shapes of Pasta

The following table maps out the various shapes and forms of pasta:

Unique Shapes

Name

Description

Translation

Campanelle

Flattened bell-shaped pasta with a frilly edge on one end

Little bells

Capunti

Short convex ovals resembling an open empty pea pod

Casarecce

Short lengths rolled into an S shape

From casereccio meaning homemade

Cavatelli

Short, solid lengths

From the verb cavare meaning to hollow

Cencioni

Petal shaped, slightly curved with rough convex side

Little rags

Conchiglie

Seashell shaped

Shells

Conchiglioni

Large, stuffable seashell-shaped

Large shells

Corzetti

Flat figure-eight stamped

Creste di Galli

Short, curved and ruffled

Cocks combs

Croxetti

Flat coin-shaped discs stamped with coats of arms

Little crosses

Fantolioni

Panda-shaped bow-ties commonly served with boiled olives

Pre-packaged pandas

Farfalle

Bow tie or butterfly shaped

Butterflies

Farfallone

Larger bowties

Large butterfly

Fiorentine

Grooved cut tubes

Florentine

Fiori

Shaped like a flower

Little flowers

Foglie dulivo

Shaped like an olive leaf

Olive leaf

Fusilli

Three-edged spiral, usually in mixed colors. Many vendors and brands sold as fusilli are two-edged

From fusile, archaic/dialect form of fucile, meaning rifle. As the inside barrel of a gun is “rifled” using a similar screw-shaped device

Fusilli Bucati

A spring-shaped variety of the above

Holed rifles

Gemelli

A single S-shaped strand of pasta twisted in a loose spiral

Twins

Gigli

Cone or flower shaped

Lilies

Gnocchi

Round in shape and often made with flour plus potatoes

From the Italian gnocco, meaning “a knot in wood”

Gramigna

Short, curled lengths of pasta

Scutch-grass; more generically, “infesting weed”

Lanterne

Curved ridges

Lantern holders

Lumache

Snail-shaped

From lumaca, meaning snail

Lumaconi

Jumbo lumache

Large snails

Maltagliati

Flat roughly cut triangles

Badly cut

Mandala

Designed by Philippe Starck in 1987 for French pasta-maker Panzani

Design based on compensating for overcooking

Marille

Designed by Giorgetto Guigiaro in 1983 – like a rolling ocean wave in cross-section with internal rugosities, but unsuccessful and no longer produced

From mare, meaning sea

Orecchiette

Bowl or ear shaped pasta

Little ears

Pipe

Larger version of macaroni

Smoking pipes

Quadrefiore

Square with rippled edges

Flower quadrants

Radiatore

Shaped like radiators

Radiator

Ricciolini

Short wide pasta with a 90-degree twist

From riccio, curly

Ricciutelle

Short spiraled pasta

From riccio, curly

Rotelle

Wagon wheel-shaped pasta

Little wheels (from ruota-wheel)

Rotini

2-edged spiral, tightly wound. Some vendors and brands are 3-edged and sold as rotini

Spirali

A tube which spirals round

Spirals

Spiralini

More tightly-coiled fusilli

Little spirals

Strangolapreti

Rolled across their width

Priest-chokers or priest-stranglers

Torchio

Torch-shaped

Winepress

Trofie

Thin twisted pasta

Tubular Pasta

Name

Description

Translation

Bucatini

Hollow spaghetti

Little holes

Calamarata

Wide ring shaped pasta

Squid (also known as “calamari”)

Calamaretti

Smaller Calamarata

Cannelloni

Large stuffable tubes

Big pipes or reeds

Cavatappi

Corkscrew-shaped macaroni

Corkscrews; also known as Cellentani and Spirali

Cellentani

Corkscrew-shaped tube

Chifferi

Short and wide macaroni

Ditalini

Short tubes, like elbows but shorter and without a bend

Small fingers

Fideua

Short and thin tubes

Gomito Maccheroni

Bent tubes

Elbow macaroni

Elicoidali

Slightly ribbed tube pasta; the ribs are corked as opposed to those on rigatoni

Helicoidal

Fagioloni

Short narrow tube

Little beans

Garganelli

Square egg noodle rolled into a tube

Maccheroni

As long as a little finger, usually striped

Maccheroncelli

Hollow pencil-shaped pasta

Maltagliati

Short wide pasta with diagonally cut ends

Roughly cut

Manicotti

Large ridged tubes that are stuffed

Sleeves, from the Italian word manica

Mezzani Pasta

Short curved tube

From Mezzo meaning half-size

Mezze Penne

Short version of penne

Half-pens

Mezze Bombardoni

Short, wide tubes

Half bombards

Mostaccioli

Sometimes mistakenly used as another name for Penne, Mostaccioli differ in that they do not have ridges. Mostaccioli are also called Penne Lisce or “smooth penne”

Mustaches

Paccheri

Large tube

Pasta al Ceppo

Shaped like a cinnamon stick

Penne

Medium length tubes with ridges, cut diagonally at both ends

Literally “pens” because the tip is similar to that of a quill, or fountain pen

Penne Rigate

Penne with ridged sides

Penne Lisce

Penne with smooth sides

Penne Zita

Wider version of penne

Pennette

Short thin version of penne

Pennoni

Wider version of penne

Perciatelli

Thicker bucatini

From the verb Perciare meaning Hollow inside

Rigatoncini

Smaller version of rigatoni

Rigatoni

Large and slightly curved tube

From riga, meaning line: rigatoni is pasta with lines (large). Rigato or rigate, when added to another pasta name means lined, or, with ridges added, as in “spaghetti rigati”

Sagne Incannulate

Long tube formed of twisted ribbon

Trenne

Penne shaped as a triangle

Trennette

Smaller version of trenne

Tortiglioni

Narrower rigatoni

From the verb Torcere meaning to twist. Twisted, wringed

Tuffoli

Ridged rigatoni

Ziti

Long, narrow hose-like tubes

Zitoni

Wider version of Ziti

Strand Pasta

Name

Description

Translation

Spaghettoni

Thick spaghetti

Thick little twine

Spaghetti

Most common round-rod pasta

Spago means twine, spaghetto means little twine, spaghetti is plural

Spaghettini

Thin spaghetti

Thin little twine

Fedelini

Between spaghetti and vermicelli in size

Little faithful ones

Vermicelloni

Thick vermicelli

Thick little worms

Vermicelli

Thicker than capellini, thinner than fedelini

Little worms

Capellini

Thinner than vermicelli, thicker than angel hair

Fine hair

Capellini dangelo

Thinnest round-rod pasta

Angel hair

In order of thickest to thinnest.

Various Strand Pasta

Name

Description

Translation

Barbina

Thin strands often coiled into nests

Little beards

Spaghetti alla Chitarra

Similar to spaghetti, except square rather than round, and made of egg in addition to flour

Named after the device used to cut the pasta, which has a wooden frame strung with metal wires. Sheets of pasta are pressed down onto the device, and then the wires are “strummed” so that the slivers of pasta fall through

Ciriole

Thicker version of chitarra

Fusilli Lunghi

Very long coiled rods (like a thin telephone cord)

Long rifles

Pici

Very thick, long, hand rolled

Ribbon Pasta

Name

Description

Translation

Bavette

Narrower version of tagliatelle

Little thread

Bavettine

Narrower version of bavette

Fettuce

Wider version of fettuccine

Ribbons

Fettuccine

Ribbon of pasta approximately 6.5 millimeters wide

Little ribbons

Fettucelle

Narrower version of fettuccine

Lagane

Wide noodles

Lasagne

Very wide noodles that often have fluted edges

Cooking pot

Lasagnette

Narrower version of lasagne

Lasagnotte

Longer version of lasagna

Linguettine

Narrower version of linguine

Linguine

Flattened spaghetti

Little tongues

Mafalde

Short rectangular ribbons

Mafaldine

Long ribbons with ruffled sides

Pappardelle

Thick flat ribbon

Pillus

Very thin ribbons

Pizzoccheri

Ribbon pasta made from buckwheat

Reginette

Wide ribbon with rippled edges

Little queens

Sagnarelli

Rectangular ribbons with fluted edges

Sciatelli of Sciatelli

Home-made long spaghetti with a twisted long spiral

Stringozzi

Similar to shoelaces

From stringhe, meaning shoestrings

Tagliatelle

Ribbon fairly thinner than fettucine

From “tagliare” – to cut

Taglierini

Thinner version of Tagliatelle

Trenette

Thin ribbon ridged on one side

Tripoline

Thick ribbon ridged on one side

Micro Pasta

Name

Description

Translation

Acini di Pepe

Bead-like pasta

Peppercorns

Anelli

Small rings of pasta

Rings

Anellini

Smaller version of Anelli

Little rings

Conchigliette

Small shell shaped pasta

Little shells

Corallini

Small short tubes of pasta

Little corals

Ditali

Small short tubes

Thimbles

Ditalini

Smaller version of Ditali

Little thimbles

Farfalline

Small bow tie shaped pasta

Either bowties or little butterflies

Fideos

Short thin pasta

Filini

Smaller version of Fideos

Thin threads; (from filo, meaning thread)

Fregula

Bead-like pasta from Sardinia

Funghini

Small mushroom shaped pasta

Little mushrooms

Ochi di Pernice

Very small rings of pasta

Partridges eyes

Orzo

Rice shaped pasta, also Risoni

Barley

Pastina

Small spheres about the same size or smaller than Acini di Pepe

Little pasta

Pearl Pasta

Spheres slightly larger than Acini di Pepe

Quadrettini

Small flat squares of pasta

Little squares

Risi

Smaller version of Orzo

Little rice

Seme di Melone

Small seed shaped pasta

Melon seeds

Stelle

Small star-shaped pasta

Stars

Stelline

Smaller version of Stelle

Little stars

Stortini

Smaller version of elbow macaroni

Little crooked ones

Trachana

Granular, irregular shaped pasta of Greek origin

Stuffed Pasta

Name

Description

Translation

Agnolotti

Semi-circular pockets; can be stuffed with ricotta or mix of cheese and meats or pureed vegetables

Ed Garrubbo has been studying, cooking, searching for, and thinking about la cucina italiana for as long as he can remember. He cooks a wide range of Italian dishes, but loves his pasta most. He visits restaurants, cooking schools, markets, and food artisans across Italy, and wherever Italians practice their craft. He is a member of the Accademia Italiana della Cucina, and is a citizen of both the United States and Italy.

Hi, I live in south west London and would like to know where you can actually buy some of these less well known pasta shapes. I use one calles ditalini rigati to make soups but its rsrely available.
thanks.

I would like to know where I can purchase the dumplings that Muller’s had, but I can no longer find them in the grocery store, will you let me know if you still have them and where I can purchase them.

Ah Ha!…You have just settled a decades old argument between my husband and I! I grew up with chicken and dumplings, dumplings being bread cooked floating on top of the chicken soup! My husbands grandmother made chicken soup with what he insisted was dumplings! What he was calling dumplings are what I have always said is not because it is more like paste made with flour egg and milk, what I call(not to his face)pinch noodles because she just pinched off bits into the chicken soup. These pinch noodles are much like misshapen gnocchi!…so all these decade we were both right she just didn’t take the time to shape the “dumplings”….lol

I am making a dish that combines long grain rice and vermicelli but I am having trouble finding vermicelli. What pasta can I substitute? The pasta is broken in pieces and browned with the rice in butter before adding chicken broth. Thanks for your help.

Where can I find/buy a pasta called Magarita it is a long flat pasta like linguine except it is twisted from end to end —it takes a large box due to the twist DeCecco used to sell it but Can no longer fied a place to obtain it chularnyc@aol.com

Restaurant Guide

Email Newsletter

Pasta on Sunday is a tradition enjoyed by Italians around the world. In order to preserve this unifying and magical tradition, The Garrubbo Guide® is proud to publish our weekly feature Sunday Pasta®. In addition to the authentic pasta recipe, we provide historical background and our accompanying wine recommendation. Buon Appetito!